


Sunsets In Snow:The One Year

by naturallesbain



Category: The Outsiders - Fandom
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Hurt/Comfort, Johnny is dead sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:15:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27692654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naturallesbain/pseuds/naturallesbain
Summary: Ponyboy visits Johnny's grave three months after he dies and almost one year after his parents deaths.
Kudos: 9





	Sunsets In Snow:The One Year

I’ve been on this bus for so long, the bumps and curves of the road taking me far away from the hurt. 

It’s been months since Johnny’s died, and almost a year since my parent’s died, too. 

It’s November 9th, the days turning colder and colder while the leaves on the trees start to disappear. 

I’ve always hated this time of year, the cold now reminding me of my parent’s deaths and how Darry doesn’t work a lot during winters or when it gets cold so he has to stress out more with bills. 

This is why I don’t like staying there anymore, the stress, the memories, they’re all too much sometimes. 

The bus comes to a halt as the sun starts setting, the mixes of oranges and yellows filling the sky slowly but surely. 

I realize that this is the first sunset I’ve watched since Johnny’s death as I’m walking through the graveyard. 

I take my time, watching the sunset and snowfall, the remaining light causing the flurries to shine like small crystals. 

The sight is so beautiful for such a dark place. 

When I finally reach my parent’s graves, I stand in place. 

I don’t move, nor do I talk; I just think. 

Think about how they should’ve lived longer as I look down at their gravestones, the date November 11th etched into my head as I realize that in just two days nobody will talk to us, they’ll let us grieve. 

I turn on my heels and head towards Johnny’s grave. He rests upon a hill under an old oak tree with a bench near him. It’s what he would’ve liked. 

As I walk, I can’t stop my mind from racing as I think about how if today is the ninth, then it’ll be one year since my parents died and only three since Johnny’s death. 

When I finally reach Johnny’s grave, I kneel in front of his gravestone. 

I don’t know what to do after that. Do I talk? Do I leave? Do I stay silent? 

I decide to talk. 

“Hey Johnny, I hope you ain’t too cold, know ya always hated the cold,” I start, “I guess you’re wondering how the gangs doin’ so, Darry’s doin’ good, just stressed like always. Soda is back to normal now that he ain’t hungover Sandy. Steve is still makin’ fun o’ me so he’s fine. Two still drinks and watched Mickey and he’s still a wisecrack.” 

I have to pause to think about what to say next. 

“Dally- Dally ain’t doin’ too good. Darry had to drag him away from starting a fight with about three cops. He’s been a wreck since ya- ya died. He don’ smoke, don’ drink, don’ fight, don’ really do nothin’ that made him Dally, ya know?” I say as tears start to fall. 

“I dunno how I’m doin’, keep thinkin’ about how if I was faster or if I hadn’t smoked all them cancer sticks, the church wouldn’t’ve burned down like it did. I’m supposed to be fast, Johnny, so why wasn’t I fast enough to save you,” My voice cracks at the end, the tears falling in thick rivulets down my face. 

My head is downturned, the sun almost completely set when I hear a set of footsteps behind me and a voice. 

“I miss him, too, kid,” I hear Dally say as he kneels next to me and pulls me into a hug. 

I know I should be embarrassed about cryin’ in front of Dally, but I can’t bring myself to care right now. 

I sob into Dally’s shoulder letting him shush me as he rubs soothing circles over my back. 

“It’ll be okay, kid,” 


End file.
